NBA DFS Picks: The NBA Slate Starter for DraftKings + FanDuel

Welcome to the last Slate Starter for the 2019-20 NBA season! It’s been a privilege to talk some hoops in this space, and I hope you’ve enjoyed this article half as much as I have putting it together. We have a lot to get to, so let’s dive right in. This is my breakdown for the final two-game slate of the year for DraftKings and FanDuel, starting at 6:30 p.m. EST today.

Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye

Our day kicks off with a Game 5 that feels less like a fight and more like a formality. The Los Angeles Clippers have clamped down defensively in this series, holding the lethargic Denver Nuggets to a hair under 100 points per game. And now we have a situation stemming from young unicorn Michael Porter Jr. calling out his coach in an interview, which is never a sign of good things to come.

What he said isn’t exactly wrong though. The Nuggets have played an excessive amount of iso ball with Nikola Jokic — and less effectively Jamal Murray — the entire series. The inability for Mike Malone to adjust the gameplan when someone like Porter gets hot have resulted in a predictable offense with a predictable outcome: Losing. Jokic has performed admirably, but Murray specifically has gone from GOAT of the Utah series to an actual goat in this one, shooting a measly 38% from the field and scoring fewer than 18 points per game. Contrast that with the insane 55% and 31.6 he averaged against the Jazz, and you can see why this team might be heading to the exit sign.

From a DFS perspective, Paul Millsap continues to be my favorite fade of every slate, and the minutes have now sunken along with his production. Jerami Grant I wish I could fade every slate, but 35-plus minutes is still too good to pass up. Fortunately this should be the last time we have to contemplate plugging his lack of productivity into our lineups. And Gary Harris doesn’t have the upside I’m looking for tonight, even on a two-game slate.

Which brings us back to the same three I discussed before: Jokic, Murray and Porter. Jokic is head-and-shoulders above the rest of the center plays on this slate, but he’s still not my priority spend. Murray is an OK enough tournament play, as his price has returned to semi-playable levels. But ownership should still be there at a strong guard position, so I’ll pass. And Porter, coming off a game I faded him primarily due to minutes concerns, will be my highest-owned player from this entire game. He got 34 minutes of run in Game 4, and I can’t imagine him getting only eight shot attempts should his minutes come close to that number again. And as bad as Mike Malone may want to discipline him, now is not the time.

The Main Event

I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted from this Raptors – Celtics series, and I’m simply chilling on the couch. It’s unprecedented what these players are going through heading into Game 7, as three starters from both teams played 50-plus minutes in Wednesday’s double-overtime thriller. Vegas thinks they could come out dead too, with the total opening at a crazy-low 203.5 and holding steady.

Starting on the Toronto side of the ball, I don’t really know what else to say besides “play them.” With the exception of Marc Gasol, who they’ve chosen to eliminate from the late-game rotation in favor of Norman Powell, every other starter is a premier play on this slate due to the copious amount of minutes headed their way. Kyle Lowry will again be my preferred target, while Pascal Siakam will again be the bane of my existence as I continue to play him. Fred VanVleet I’m the least confident in to reach value on this team, which makes him tough for me to get to. You can’t miss at shooting guard on this slate due to solid options at both ends of the salary spectrum, and he’s certainly not cheap. I’ll have a few shares since he always brings a ceiling to the table but nothing crazy.

As far as Boston goes, I’m terrified for them. They’ve been the better team, but the highs and lows of this series might lead to issues in a Game 7 against the defending champs. Daniel Theis sits at $5,600 on both sites and finally saw some extended run. He’s going to be a popular source of mid-range value, but I fully plan on going over the field. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart I will surely have exposure to, but each saw a salary spike due to inflated performances in a double-overtime game. It’ll come down to ownership how much of each I have.

Which brings me to Kemba Walker, my favorite tournament play on this entire slate. His price dropped to $7,700 on DraftKings to $7,600 on FanDuel, and the public shouldn’t be there in the wake of his dud for the ages. It’s terrifying to say the least, but I’m rolling with Walker and hoping he doesn’t give me the heart attack.

Final Thoughts for Your NBA DFS Lineups

I suppose I should touch on the Clippers rotation. Play Kawhi Leonard, play Paul George, play Ivica Zubac. There’s not much else there for me, as Powell and possibly Brad Wanamaker give me enough value that I won’t be considering a limited Patrick Beverley this time around.

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Author

Eric Lindquist

Eric Lindquist hails from Sioux Falls, South Dakota (yes, that’s the one with Mount Rushmore). A steady diet of three SportsCenters a day at an early age led to his obsession with sports, one that 30 years later is paying dividends for him as a successful DFS player and sports bettor. Despite over half a million dollars in net career earnings, he’s most passionate about helping others achieve their financial goals, an energy you can witness on the daily in his current role as a host and analyst at Stokastic. He’s a former Division I golfer at Iowa State, wishes he was a former Minnesota sports fan, and is a proud father to a 100-pound Bernese Mountain dog named Duke that wishes he could just eat people food instead of the crap he and his wife feed him on the daily.